Even before Xander Schauffele played the Genesis Scottish Open he was one of the favorites to capture the claret jug at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Now, after winning on Sunday, expect more of the smart money to move his way for the Open Championship.
Much like his win at his last PGA Tour start at the Travelers Championship, Schauffele made things more difficult than they needed to be. Seemingly in control of the tournament with a four-shot lead after opening with back-to-back birdies to begin his final round, Schauffle sputtered with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch, allowing Kurt Katayama to grab the lead and a host of others to get close enough to sniff it.
Schauffele, however, steadied himself, making four straight pars to start the final nine before striking a pitching wedge from 157 yards on the par-3 14th to 15 feet then dropping the putt to re-take a one-shot advantage over Katayama who had finished at six under par. A two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th extended the cushion, a stroke that allowed for a safe-play bogey to win on 18.
A power-precision combination served Schauffele well at the Renaissance Club in winning his seventh PGA Tour title. Despite having some accuracy issues, Schauffele averaged 310.4 yards off the tee with his 10.5-degree Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond driver with a Mitsubishi Kai’li White 70 TX shaft.
WHAT IT DOES: The biggest driver family in Callaway’s history expands the company’s use of artificial intelligence to produce four distinct faces that don’t merely enhance power but control spin. That’s important because large clubheads can boost ball speed but often fight excessive spin. A large central weight cartridge low in the back provides extreme off-center-hit stability. Callaway has also refined its “jailbreak” structure, an internal bracket that joins the crown and sole to stiffen the body and direct energy into the flexing face.
WHY WE LIKE IT: Callaway found that adjustable weights aren’t enough to optimize performance, so the company created these four models with distinct attributes for specific types of golfers. Each features different face angles, lie angles, shapes and degrees of draw bias and spin to better match the needs of different golfer types. The line includes a dedicated draw model (Max D), a maximum forgiveness model (Max), a version that mixes equal parts high forgiveness, neutral launch and low spin (Max LS) and a compact, tour-favored option with the lowest spin (◊◊◊LS).
WHICH ONE'S FOR ME?
ROGUE ST MAX: Tungsten way in the back helps to make this the most stable driver in the Rogue ST line and a good fit for the majority of golfers.
ROGUE ST MAX D: Extra weight in the heel and a unique face design aids those looking to fight a slice.
ROGUE ST MAX LS: The deep tungsten weighting keys both forgiveness and lower spin.
ROGUE ST ◊◊◊LS: A more compact head generally favors better players. The front weighting balances stability with extreme low spin (the lowest in the line) and a flatter flight. Read more >>
That driver features a more compact head (450 cc) that appeals to better players. A very low center of gravity produces extremely low spin and a flatter flight.
Into the greens Schauffele ranked T-6 in greens in regulation, hitting 51 of 72 greens with his Callaway Apex TCB irons with Nippon Modus Tour 130X shafts and Golf Pride ZGrip Cord grips. In all Schauffele made 17 birdies to rank third in the field.
That’s the kind of production that wins claret jugs—or at least makes you a favorite to win one.
What Xander Schauffele had in the bag at the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open
Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft
Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond (Mitsubishi Kai’li White 70 TX), 10.5 degrees
3-wood: Callaway Epic Speed, 15 degrees
Irons (3): Mizuno MP-20 HMB; (4-PW): Callaway Apex TCB
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52 degrees); Titleist Vokey SM6 (56 degrees): Titleist Vokey SM9 WedgeWorks (60 degrees)
Putter: Odyssey O-Works Red 7 CH
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